Americans from across the country will head to Washington for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. But the celebrations don’t end after the president takes the oath of office.

What You Need To Know

  • People have gathered to celebrate the incoming president since George Washington took office

  • Inaugural balls became more formal over time, and the first official inaugural ball was held in honor of James Madison in 1809

  • Modern inaugural balls reflect the style of the incoming president, and there are often more than one ball

  • Donald Trump held three inaugural balls when he was elected in 2017

His supporters will celebrate at several inaugural balls. It’s a tradition that dates back to the inauguration of the first president, George Washington.  

“He was inaugurated in New York, and there was a ball held after, a private event,” said Lisa Kathleen Graddy, a curator of political history at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

As the presidency evolved through the years, inaugural balls became more formal. The first official inaugural ball was held for James Madison in 1809. It was held at a Washington hotel. Four hundred guests paid $4 each to attend.

Since then, each president has put his own stamp on the tradition, but nearly every ball has included formal attire, dancing, and the presence of donors and friends. But not every president has participated. Woodrow Wilson didn’t think balls were appropriate, and no galas were held for Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World War II.

“They really reestablished by President Truman in his 1945 inauguration,” Graddy said. “They've continued since then, and have gotten slowly grander.”

The tone of modern inaugural balls range from informal to fancy, often reflecting the style of the presidents they celebrate.  

“You think about the Carters, who had even called their inaugural balls 'parties' because they didn't want them to seem as formal, and had consciously tried to make the White House and the administration more casual,” Graddy said. “The Reagans come in, and it's now a white-tie inaugural ball with high fashion and Hollywood glamor.” 

President Barack Obama held 10 official inaugural balls when he took office, and just two when he launched his second term. Donald Trump held three when he took office in 2017. Due to COVID-19, President Joe Biden didn’t hold any when he was inaugurated in 2021.

Outside of the official circuit, unofficial balls are held by states and nonprofit organizations, enabling more people to gather to celebrate the incoming president.

“It’s one person being sworn in, but Americans want to feel like they’re a part of that,” Graddy said. She’ll help the Smithsonian American History Museum prepare to host a ball for Trump’s supporters from Michigan.